How to Overcome Performance Anxiety

While it’s certainly prevalent in the field, performance anxiety is not exclusive to people in the entertainment industry. It can happen to anyone. In some cases, performance anxiety can be subtle, manifesting as nervousness before an event, such as a verbal presentation at work.

In other cases, it can be severe and require professional help to overcome or manage. For example, when the fear of scrutiny becomes so intense that it disrupts your daily life or interferes with your ability to meet responsibilities, it may be time to seek professional support.

When left unchecked, severe performance anxiety can hold you back from opportunities and create stress that in turn, negatively affects your physical and mental health.

No matter how performance anxiety shows up for you, whether it’s racing thoughts, a pounding heart, or feeling frozen in the moment, you’re not alone. It can be incredibly frustrating to know what you’re capable of yet feel like something is holding you back when it matters most. The good news is, there are ways to work through it and feel more in control.

Let’s walk through what performance anxiety is, why it happens, and what you can do to manage it. We’ll also touch on when performance anxiety may be part of a broader anxiety pattern and where you can seek support in Chicago.

Key Takeaways:

• Performance anxiety is common. It refers to fear surrounding performance tasks of all kinds, whether a concert, a test, or leading a workplace meeting.
• Those wondering how to overcome performance anxiety may benefit from various approaches. These can include quick techniques to use in high-anxiety moments, therapy, and medication.
• Performance anxiety itself is not a diagnosis. In some, but not all, cases, performance anxiety can be a symptom of social anxiety disorder. Specifically, if it’s persistent and causes clinically significant distress or affects daily life functioning.

What Is Performance Anxiety?

Performance anxiety refers to feelings of fear, nervousness, or pressure that show up when you’re expected to perform a task. This often happens in high-pressure or high-stakes situations, but it can also come up in everyday moments, such as being called on in class, speaking in a meeting, or completing an important project. Sometimes, the anxiety starts even before the event, just from the anticipation.

Performance anxiety is often referred to as ‘stage fright,’ however, it doesn’t actually have to involve a stage.[1] It can be more of a metaphorical spotlight, the feeling of being watched, evaluated, or needing to “get it right.” This experience is very common and can happen to anyone, whether it’s in small, everyday situations or big, high-pressure moments.

The term ‘stage fright’ is often used because it’s a clear, relatable example of performance anxiety, standing on a stage with everyone watching and feeling pressure to perform. But as we mentioned, the idea goes beyond an actual stage. Performance anxiety is not a diagnosis or a mental health condition, but it can still feel very real and difficult to manage.

Common Symptoms of Performance Anxiety

Everyone experiences performance anxiety differently. People can have an assortment of physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms as a result of performance anxiety. They also range in severity. Some are more obvious. Others are more subtle.

Common physical symptoms of performance anxiety include:

• Stomach issues, like nausea or an upset stomach.
• Vision changes (e.g., blurry vision).
• Dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Increased heart rate.
• Rapid breathing.
• Dry mouth.
• Throat tightness.
• Muscle tension.
• Shaking.
• Sweating.

People also experience emotional, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms of performance anxiety, such as:

• Ruminating about possible performance mistakes.
• Mind going blank, ‘freezing up,’ or trouble focusing.
• Avoiding situations that involve performance.
• Speaking more loudly or softly than usual.
• A general sense of overwhelm.
• Feeling irritable or on edge.
• Over-rehearsing.
• Panic attacks.

In the time leading up to a moment or situation you’re feeling nervous about, you may also experience symptoms, such as trouble sleeping or feeling more on edge than usual. Like other causes of anxiety, performance-related anxiety sets off the fight or flight response in the body, also called the stress response.[2] Your body perceives that it’s in danger, even though it’s not. That’s what’s to blame for many of the symptoms you might experience due to performance anxiety.

Why Does Performance Anxiety Happen?

At the core, performance anxiety often comes from the fear of being judged, making a mistake, or not meeting expectations. Whether those expectations come from others or from yourself. If you tend to be hard on yourself or aim for perfection, that pressure can feel even stronger. High-stakes situations, like an important exam or a big opportunity, can add another layer of stress.

For some people, this anxiety is also connected to broader patterns. If you already experience general anxiety or social anxiety, you may be more likely to feel some level of performance anxiety in certain situations.

Performance anxiety is your mind and body reacting to pressure and trying to protect you, even if it doesn’t feel helpful in the moment. Performance anxiety can occur in a variety of settings. Some common situations that set it off include:

• Public speaking.
• Giving presentations at work or school.
• Performing arts (e.g., dance recitals, plays, choir concerts).
• Sports competitions.
• Tests and exams.

How to Overcome Performance Anxiety

There are healthy and unhealthy ways to navigate performance anxiety. Learning what strategies effectively work for you can make a meaningful difference. You don’t have to keep pushing through it on your own. Therapy can help you understand why performance anxiety happens, reduce how strongly it shows up, and give you practical tools to manage it more effectively over time.

Some people find that rehearsing situations ahead of time helps build confidence. While practice is essential for performing arts and sports, it can also be useful for everyday situations, like interviews, phone calls, or speaking in front of coworkers. In therapy, role-playing is often used to help you feel more prepared and less caught off guard in these moments.

There are also simple ways to support yourself before an event. Focus on what’s within your control. This can look like eating regular meals to keep your energy steady, prioritizing sleep so you feel more rested, and limiting caffeine if it tends to make you feel jittery. Taking care of yourself and reducing added stress beforehand can help your mind and body feel more balanced going into the situation.

For some people, medication management can also be a helpful part of the plan. If therapy alone isn’t enough and performance anxiety is still getting in the way, medications like propranolol may be an option.[3]

These are often taken around 30-60 minutes before an event, such as public speaking, tests, or interviews. If you’re curious about this option, talking with a medical provider can help you understand what might be a good fit for you.

Quick Techniques to Calm Performance Anxiety in the Moment

If you’ve ever found yourself feeling overwhelmed right before or during an important moment, and wanted a quick way to feel more relaxed, you’re not alone. Knowing how to manage performance anxiety in real time can make a big difference.

Here are a few practical coping strategies that therapists often teach, when done properly, these techniques can help you calm your anxiety in the moment:

• Breathing Exercises: Breathing exercises work by lowering stress hormones and helping your body reach a ‘rest and digest’ state. They’re easy to remember, and you can use them anywhere. Try simple techniques, like box breathing (inhaling for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, and holding for 4 seconds, then repeating the process).
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing specific muscle groups throughout your body. You can start at your toes and move up to your head or vice versa. Hold tension in each body part for about 15-20 seconds, then relax it and move on to the next part of your body until you’re done.
• Physical Activity: Movement is a great outlet. Often taught in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a derivative of cognitive behavioral therapy, intense exercise is a common TIPP skill. TIPP stands for temperature (cold water), intense exercise, paced breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation. You might shake your arms by your sides, do jumping jacks, or run in place as an outlet for anxious energy.
• Visualization: To self-soothe, people may benefit from picturing themselves in a safe, relaxing space, like the beach. You can do this, or you can visualize yourself succeeding in the performance task you are afraid of. For example, you might imagine yourself successfully completing a race or making a phone call.
• Self-Talk. You can use mantras for performance anxiety, like ‘I am safe’ or ‘present, not perfect.’ Or, you can use thought reframing, a common technique taught in behavioral therapy for performance anxiety and related challenges. Thought reframing involves taking an unrealistic negative thought and reframing it to create a more realistic and positive one.

These are great strategies to try, and the best part is you can use them almost anywhere. It can help to have a few go-to techniques in mind before an event, so you’re not scrambling in the moment if your anxiety starts to rise. The more you practice these skills, the more natural and effective they’ll feel when you need them most.

When Does Performance Anxiety Become a Disorder?

Performance anxiety itself isn’t a mental health disorder; in fact, it’s something many people experience from time to time. However, it may be a sign of a deeper concern when the fear of being judged or evaluated starts to feel overwhelming and begins to interfere with your daily life.

For example, if you find yourself avoiding important situations, struggling to perform at work or school, or feeling significant distress before everyday tasks, it may be worth looking into further support. In some cases, performance anxiety can be connected to conditions like social anxiety.

Fear of embarrassment, humiliation, or judgment from others is a key trait in the diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder.[4] Therapy helps people with social anxiety disorder reduce the fear they have. It can improve your ability to complete tasks and enhance quality of life.

If you have an underlying mental health condition or think that you might, pursuing a diagnosis and treatment is important. However, it can’t be overstated enough that people can benefit from therapy whether they do or do not have a diagnosable condition.

Therapy for Performance Anxiety

What kind of therapy is used for performance anxiety? Technically, multiple modalities can be helpful. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often highly beneficial for people with performance anxiety. It helps by showing you how to challenge negative thoughts, create more beneficial thought patterns, and use healthy coping, communication, and problem-solving skills, all of which can be important for navigating performance anxiety.

Exposure therapy is another approach often used in CBT. Professionals using exposure therapy help people gradually expose themselves to the things that make them anxious, starting with the least anxiety-inducing situation and working their way up. This is often talked about in the context of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it’s helpful for other challenges, too.

Performance Anxiety Treatment In Chicago

Are you worried that performance anxiety is impacting your life? You’re not alone! Performance anxiety is incredibly common. Most of us are no strangers to this anxious feeling, especially during important or high-stakes moments.

Still, the fact that it’s a common experience doesn’t make it any easier when your mind goes blank, your heart starts racing, or you feel like you can’t show up the way you want to.

At Clarity Clinic, we understand how frustrating and discouraging that can feel. Our team is here to support you in a way that feels approachable, personalized, and grounded in real care. We offer therapy, psychiatry, and structured programs like PHP and IOP, all designed to help you feel more confident, prepared, and in control.

Whether you’re dealing with performance anxiety at work, school, or in everyday situations, you don’t have to navigate it on your own. When you’re ready, we’re here to help you take that next step toward feeling more like yourself again.

We have clinics located throughout Chicago and the surrounding areas to ensure you find quality care close to home. For added convenience, we also offer online mental health services to anyone in Illinois.

Related Readings:

• Propranolol for Anxiety​: How It Works & What to Expect
• Supplements for Anxiety: What the Research Says

Performance Anxiety FAQs:

References

[1] What to do about performance anxiety. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.-f). https://health.clevelandclinic.org/performance-anxiety-stage-fright

[2] Understanding the stress response. Harvard Health. (2024, April 3). https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/understanding-the-stress-response

[3] Szeleszczuk, Ł., & Frączkowski, D. (2022a, September 3). Propranolol versus other selected drugs in the treatment of various types of anxiety or stress, with particular reference to stage fright and post-traumatic stress disorder. International journal of molecular sciences. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9456064/

[4] Rose, G. M. (2022, October 25). Social anxiety disorder. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555890/